An air cleaner device for a motorcycle is a device for removing dust and dirt in the air which is taken into an engine and for reducing the intake sound of the engine.
A conventional air cleaner device for a motorcycle that is mounted above an engine is disclosed in JP-A-2002-160686, page 3, FIG. 4.
FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) in the drawings are views for explaining the basic principle of the prior art. As illustrated in FIG. 6(a) the air cleaner device 100 includes a cap 102 of a cleaner box 101 with a bottom surface 103, a ventilation sleeve 104 formed on the bottom surface 103 and filters 105, 105 which are mounted on the ventilation sleeve 104 from above in a state wherein the filters 105, 105 surround the ventilation sleeve 104. An inlet portion 106 constitutes an inlet allowing air to flow into the ventilation sleeve 104. An outlet portion 107 constitutes an outlet for allowing the air which passes through the filter 105 to flow into the engine side.
Outside air enters through an inlet portion 106 and passes through the filters 105, 105 as indicated by an arrow. Dust and dirt 108 which enter inside the air cleaner device 100 are collected between the ventilation sleeve 104 and the filters 105, 105.
FIG. 6(b) is an operational view showing the manner of exchanging the filters 105, 105, wherein when the filters 105, 105 are removed from the bottom surface 103, the dust and dirt 108 which are collected between the ventilation sleeve 104 and the filters 105, 105 flow out to the clean side along the bottom surface 103 as indicated by lateral arrows.
In this manner, in the prior art, since the filter 105 (hereinafter referred to as an “element” including the filter 105) and the ventilation sleeve 104 (hereinafter referred to as an “air guide member”) are constituted as separate members from each other, when the element is removed at the time of exchanging the element, the dust and dirt 108 fall into the clean side of a cleaner box 101 (hereinafter referred to as a “cleaner case”) in a spreading manner. Thus, it is necessary to clean the inside of the cleaner case before mounting the new element.